Dark Mark, Light Skin
by CatchLikeFire
Summary: The air was still around them, neither really knowing what to say. Harry seemed to have lost all coherent thought as he stared at the young death-eater before him and he struggled to remember why he was confronting him in the first place. Harry/Draco... Don't like, don't read. M warning.


This is my first Harry Potter fic but I have read the books at least ten times and I know them like the back of my hand. I accidentally began shipping slash-couples in the HP fandom very recently and so I might as well take a swing at it.

It begins in the 6th book and the first thing to alter the situation and how it plays out is that Malfoy is shopping without his mother when the golden trio encounter him and they get into a bit of a scuffle...

WARNING: This fic will have slash and other mature themes (sex, violence, etc) later on, so if you don't like, then don't read.

DIsclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HARRY POTTER SERIES, OR THE WORLD OR THE CHARACTERS... I AM JUST BORROWING THE WORLD AND BUILDING MY OWN STORY ON IT. JK ROWLING OWNS HARRY PPOTTER AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS EXCEPT FOR MY WRITING.

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Chapter 1

"Oh bloody hell," Ron murmured as they spotted Malfoy strutting up to a mirror in the shop. He turned his angular face up at the ceiling as if checking that the robes complimented his neck and turned around.

"Oh lucky me, the chosen one, the weasel, and the mudblood," he drawled, swishing a part of his black robe behind his back so he could rest his hand on his hip.

"Language!" Madame Malkin reprimanded with a brazen look in her eye. She turned to watch a spool of thread fly toward her just as Hermione crossed her arms.

"It's a bit disappointing that mudblood is the best you can think up after nearly six years of harassing me," she said indignantly as Madame Malkin made her way to the back room of her shop, out of hearing distance.

"Malfoy's always been a rotten little shit, he's been cursing muggle-born since he learned to talk," Ron sneered, his face reddening as he glared at Malfoy.

"Even less impressive," Hermione remarked, looking quite proud of herself as she shared a triumphant look with Ron. Harry rolled his eyes at Malfoy's raised eyebrow.

"How clever of you Weasley, how late did you and Granger stay up last night developing that?"

"Shut up Malfoy," Harry quipped just as Madame Malkin ren entered the room.

"Here you go," she exclaimed as she attached a pocket to the inside of his robes.

"Excellent," Malfoy hissed, "may I suggest one for Granger about five times this size for all the books and love potions she'll be needing to drag around this year?"

Hermione growled and raised her wand to curse Malfoy, something Harry has never seen Hermione attempt off Hogwarts grounds, when the anticipation was interrupted by Ron flinging himself at the Slytherin.

"Ron!" they both shouted, moving forward to pull the ginger off of their enemy, whose nose was beginning to bleed from all the punches. Madame Malkin was screeching at them all as they got tangled on the floor. It reminded Harry faintly of a game of Twister, the way all of their limbs became intertwined.

During the fuss Harry ended up atop Malfoy, and he was shocked to see what he did. Malfoy's sleeve had begun to slide up his arm, exposing more and more of his pale skin, as well as something else. There, printed on Malfoy's left arm, was the dark mark.

When they were all finally separated and breathing normally Madame Malkin calmed down, but her face was still red as a tomato and she ushered them all outside, where Malfoy disappeared into the crowds of Diagon alley, or at least, the flow of people rushing down the street, anxious to be out in public in light of the recently exposed dangers.

"Wha' happened to yeh all?" they heard Hagrid inquire as they stood panting on the pavement.

"Malfoy," Harry heard Ron mutter darkly but he couldn't focus on anything. He had one thing on his mind, and that one thing was wrapped around Malfoy's forearm. Although Harry had always known the Malfoys were a family of dark wizards, he never thought he would see the day when Draco Malfoy himself was a death eater.

After Harry explained what he had seen on Malfoy's arm to Ron and Hermione they were both eager to find a member of the order and report it. Of course as soon as they needed a member urgently there were none to be found and they ended up in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Time flew in Fred and George's shop and it took quite a lot of prodding to get Ron to abandon an expensive chess set with pieces that said amusing lines and jokes while one played it.

The trio eventually made their way out of the joke shop and made their way down the street, which was almost completely deserted. Harry ran his hands through his hair , brushing his fingers against his scar as he passed it.

"Why do you think Voldemort did it?" Ron asked.

"Did what?" Harry responded.

"Well, why did he let that git join the death eaters? I thought they were a bit more… powerful than they seem to be now. You know, recruiting sixteen year olds and stuff."

"Maybe it's 'cause Malfoy senior got thrown in azkaban?" Harry suggested, trying to piece it all together. That still didn't make sense to him though, since there are plenty of other slimy purebloods on Voldemort's side.

"I think it's for the same reason Dumbledore has Snape," Hermione said in that high and mighty voice of hers. The boys both seemed to snap awake at that moment.

"Of course! He'll be right inside Hogwarts… Give him a few extendable ears and he could tell Voldemort Dumbledore's every little secret," Harry realized as they all halted their steps. Ron and Hermione kept bouncing theories off one another but Harry just stared forward, right at figure who was turning the corner onto Knock-turn alley. A figure with white blonde hair.

"Speak of the devil," he muttered, breaking into a run, and Ron and Hermione following a moment later.

"Harry!" they both exclaimed, catching up just as he came to a stop at the corner.

"Malfoy!" Harry stated, gesturing to a blonde head making it's way down the dark street far ahead of them.

Harry began to walk cautiously down the entrance to knock-turn alley, while Ron and Hermione followed him with uncertain expressions on their faces. Although the alley was clearly empty, they all felt like they were being watched. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and he slid his hand inside his robes to hold onto his wand.

They lost sight of Malfoy for a moment when they came to an intersection.

"There he is," Hermione whispered loud enough for the other two to hear, pointing in a very non-subtle way to none other than Harry's least favorite shop in the world, Borgin and Burkes.

The three of them hid behind some barrels while throwing Harry's invisibility cloak overtop of them and watched Malfoy talk to the shop owner. Borgin led him around the room and Malfoy hook his head irritably, before giving a very lengthy explanation that the three watching through the window were desperate to hear. The pair walked out of sight after a few minutes and Harry cursed under his breath. He turned to look at Ron who shrugged as if to say, "bad luck mate".

A while later Malfoy exited the shop and smirked sinisterly to himself as he prowled around the corner, passing within nearly two feet of Ron as he passed.

A moment later Ron's arm broke through the top of the barrel he was leaning on and Ron pulled his hand out while muttering curses under his breath. He leaned forward and looked in the barrel, then gave Harry and Hermione a disbelieving look.

"Look," he said sarcastically while pulling an extendable ear out of the barrel, "perfect timing."

Hermione stood, staring through the window of Borgin and Burkes in a determined fashion.

"You two wait here, I'm going to try to find out what Malfoy was looking for."

"Ron, you watch Hermione, I'll be right back," Harry said to Ron as Hermione slid inside the shady shop. Ron nodded and Harry quickly strode around the corner Malfoy went down, guessing at a few turns and staring in shock at Malfoy's back when he realized he had found him with just pure luck.

"Malfoy."

The boy turned around and his grey eyes widened at the sight of Harry.

"Potter," he replied, a hint of danger lacing his otherwise formal tone. The air was still around them, neither really knowing what to say. Harry seemed to have lost all coherent thought as he stared at the young death-eater before him and he struggled to remember why he was confronting him in the first place.

Malfoy met Harry's gaze coldly, emptily. Harry began to notice small changes in Malfoy since before summer. His hair was a bit longer, a bit more lazily done. While the blonde was dressed the same as always he seemed to have grown a bit, he was more of a man than a boy, the sixteen year old Harry had loathed for years, and Harry had a strange sort of epiphany about time and youth.

"Well are you just going to stare enviously at my impeccable appearance or are you here to defend your little mudblood friend. I haven't got all day," Malfoy said dryly, crossing his arms.

"Why would Voldemort recruit you?" Harry asked, spitting the question at him like it tasted terrible on his tongue. Malfoy's cool facade slid off and was replaced by calculating cruelty and a hint of fear.

"Keep your nose where it belongs Potter, right there on that nasty, half-blood face-"

"Watch your mouth Malfoy!" Harry warned, stepping forward.

Moments later Harry was surrounded by darkness and he recognized the familiar odor of Fred and George's peruvian instant darkness powder. He stood in the darkness for a few seconds before it faded away, but by then, Harry was alone.

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A/N: This fic will probably be anywhere from 10-25 chapters so please follow/fav/review... give me feedback! I need it, I'm new to hp fics! If you would be interested in being my beta-reader for this story please tell me because I am too anxious to just request one or whatever. (I manage to have social anxiety even when I'm on the internet... go me!)

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